3913 vs. 3953

[18DAI]

I would agree with DanP7. The triggers are very different between the two models.

In fact I recently shot my NIB 3954 alongside my early 3914 carry gun and was able to compare and contrast the two models.

I've often read that the 3rd gen DAO triggers are "revolver like". That was not my impression. The DAO trigger on my 3954 was smooth, but a little long and a bit heavy, to me. Several times I also unintentionally triggered second shots with the DAO 3954 while coming out of recoil. Something that I'd only previously done while trying striker fired handguns.

I was also able to shoot the TDA 3914 both faster and more accurately than I was the DAO 3954.

Don't get me wrong, the 3954 is a fine pistol. Head and shoulders above any current production handguns today, IMO. It is just that between the two actions I prefer the TDA 39XX series guns.

As far as which is worth more, the 3954 being produced in smaller numbers is probably worth the most of the 39XX series guns. Generally I think 3913's bring more money than 3953's. I don't know why. The 3914, a favorite of mine usually can be found very cheaply. Much less than the other models go for. Again I have no idea why. Hope this helps!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Regards 18DAI

 

[James&theGiant1911]

Almost all Smith and Wesson TDA pistols with safeties bring more money than their slick sided DAO pistols. Do not know why this is but it is and the Tactical versions of the 3913/3914 bring even more based upon condition. Try to find a pristine tactical 3913/3914 is like finding a needle in a haystack. Most all of them have carry wear and you do not see that many of them become available very often.

 

[GaryS]

The last high quality batch I saw was from the CA Department of Corrections. There were some 6906s and 3913s available in early to mid 2012. I bought my 3913 from a private party and I don't know where he got it.

A number of members here have those guns. Most bought them from various wholesalers and many of them got them complete with box and papers. Mine had neither, but the gun looks as if it was hardly, if ever, carried.

Other than that and a 6906 that was issued to a Capt. on a state college PD, most of them do show signs of being carried a lot. The 6906 came with box, papers, three magazines, and a couple of holsters. It had no appreciable wear.

People tend to hold on to them once they have them.

Almost all Smith and Wesson TDA pistols with safeties bring more money than their slick sided DAO pistols. Do not know why this is but it is and the Tactical versions of the 3913/3914 bring even more based upon condition. Try to find a pristine tactical 3913/3914 is like finding a needle in a haystack. Most all of them have carry wear and you do not see that many of them become available very often.

 

[James&theGiant1911]

What good is this thread without more pics,

Here is my 3913TSW, I would put it in the top 10 percent of all 3913TSWs, maybe top 5 percent.

 

[GaryS]

That's a nice pre rail 3913TSW. Did you put the CS9 style bottom plates on or did it come that way?


Here's a picture of mine.

This is my primary self defense carry gun.

I've added night sights and slightly slimmed the ambi safety profile since this picture was taken.

 

[James&theGiant1911]

That's a nice pre rail 3913TSW. Did you put the CS9 style bottom plates on or did it come that way?


Here's a picture of mine.

This is my primary self defense carry gun.

It came that way but I have the Smith and Wesson bottom plates if I want to convert them back in. My Performance Center Shorty 40 came with two mags, one curved plate and one standard. I like the feeling of the curved plates better.

 

[GaryS]

It's all personal preference. I had the curved bottom plates on my CS9 and 3913, but always as if the "hook" was hanging up my cover clothing and I risked exposing the handle of the gun.

In my state, that can cause significant difficult with the local PD and the issuing PD.

It came that way but I have the Smith and Wesson bottom plates if I want to convert them back in. My Performance Center Shorty 40 came with two mags, one curved plate and one standard. I like the feeling of the curved plates better.

 

[nocents]

That's a nice pre rail 3913TSW. Did you put the CS9 style bottom plates on or did it come that way?


Here's a picture of mine.

This is my primary self defense carry gun.

I've added night sights and slightly slimmed the ambi safety profile since this picture was taken.

pretty fancy gun stand......I may have to copy that.....I already have a small sheet of 1/4" lexan

 

[GaryS]

pretty fancy gun stand......I may have to copy that.....I already have a small sheet of 1/4" lexan

Feel free. I bought them online, but can't for the life of me remember where. It's part of a pair that are designed to hold long guns.

 

[fpuhan]

**BUMP**

I've been looking at 3913/3914/3953/908's for a while. There seems to be a lot of online activity selling the 3913 (especially the Ladysmith model). I admit, I'm intrigued.

Today, I went to the range and shot my SIG Sauer P290RS, which is a compact, DAO single stack pistol. It's taken a back seat to my other pistols, as it feels a bit too heavy for IWB (and I have P938s for that task), and the long trigger pull finds me all over the paper.

I'm thinking of putting it up for sale. Maybe I could replace it with a 3953? Reading this thread (again) makes me think the 3953 would be a better choice than the 3913/3914. I also looked into the double stack, but that doesn't seem to resonate with me.

 

[S&W Rover]

I just bought one of the N.P.D. 3953's but haven't received it yet. The prices that set of pistols went for on Gunbroker.com bear out the observation that 3953's sell for less than 3913's; mine was $270 in "good" condition.

I appreciate the comments in this thread and look forward to shooting the 3953. I really like the 3913 and enjoy good accuracy with it. The test will be whether shooting the 3953 conflicts with my ability to shoot the 3913. I'd like to get a 3914 in the future.

 

[slowroll]

I just bought one of the N.P.D. 3953's but haven't received it yet. The prices that set of pistols went for on Gunbroker.com bear out the observation that 3953's sell for less than 3913's; mine was $270 in "good" condition.

I appreciate the comments in this thread and look forward to shooting the 3953. I really like the 3913 and enjoy good accuracy with it. The test will be whether shooting the 3953 conflicts with my ability to shoot the 3913. I'd like to get a 3914 in the future.

Rover, congrats! I bought one of those NPD pistols too (although you got a better price!) and really like it. Sounds like you have experience with the 3913, but with my pistol I had to replace the main/recoil spring (I was getting FTRTB because the spring was old). I also replaced the hammer spring using the set from Wolff Springs. I started with the (lightest) 17# spring and went even a bit lighter by cutting off a couple of coils. Gun still provides 100% ignition on all my test ammo, and trigger pull is very nice and smooth. Weirdly, the Wolff 17# spring is actually longer than the heavier ones in the set, so by cutting off a couple of coils it was also easier to install.

Mine does not appear to have been fired much, just some minor scuff marks. Hope yours works well for you!

The pistol seems to have good accuracy. The DAO takes some getting used to after using primarily striker pistols, but I'm coming along. I ordered a Theis holster and will try this out for concealed carry. For CC, I think the DAO will be excellent -- a short, very smooth double-action pull, external hammer for safety, and no safety or de-cocker.

Let me know how you like yours!

Larry

 

[buckmeister2]

I've owned both a 3953 and a 3913. They had the worst triggers of any of the more than 100 handguns I've owned - utterly unusable. Why buy guns that require dozens of hours and many rounds of expensive ammo to master when there are plenty of firearms easy to shoot right out of the box?

considering you are the only one here I have seen say that so adamantly, it might be a situation that did not fit you, as opposed to being a problem with the trigger. i think we all have guns that just didn't work for us, but did very well for others.

 

[GaryS]

I was shooting with a small group of friends at a privately owned range. One of my friends brought along his M&P 9. He told me about the trigger kit and other modifications he'd made. I shot it, and it was okay.

I then handed him my 3913TSW (rail, 2002 production) and had him put a magazine through that. He was very impressed and thought it was a shame that they stopped making 3rd Gen guns.

considering you are the only one here I have seen say that so adamantly, it might be a situation that did not fit you, as opposed to being a problem with the trigger. i think we all have guns that just didn't work for us, but did very well for others.

 

[justicetyme]

In 2006 when my wife got her CCW we bought her a 3953 from CDNN for $289. I had bought several guns from them and up to that one all were super nice. While the overall outside finish was good this 3953 had most of the finish beat off the tang. I contacted them about it and they offered to take it back but we would have been out the FFL transfer and shipping so we settled for a free (??) mag. Internally it had been fired very little.

I had built up a Browning HP for her to use in IDPA ESP and she never quite bonded with the 3953 so I took it for a farm gun. When the neighbor's pit bulls attacked her dog the 3953 (and $4,000 worth of surgeries) saved his life. Carried in a cheap Fobus paddle it's very secure while climbing on and off of tractors and four wheelers and is small and light enough that I hardly know it's there. Very rarely it will get a flat base mag and go off the farm in a pocket holster. It fits pretty good in my 4053's Mitch Rosen 5JR but I have never really carried it that way.

A few weeks ago it got its semi-annual shooting (about 150 rounds). It performed flawlessly. A good pre-clean and then off to the ultra-sonic for a deep clean and then a lube with Slip2000 and it's good for another six months.

This particular 3953 is an earlier one as evidenced by its hard chromed trigger and hammer. The later DAO guns had blued triggers and hammers. My 1086 was a later blued trigger and hammer, two of the 4046s were later blued trigger / hammer guns, and the 4053 is a transition gun with a blued hammer and a hard chromed trigger.









Through the years I've only owned six 3rd Gen DAOs - three 4046s, a 4053, a 1086, and this 3953 - (as well as five other 3rd Gens), and I actually found that for me the DAO's triggers are very easy to shoot well. Perhaps that's because I have shot DA revolvers for years plinking as well as in IDPA and USPSA. Also all those 3rd Gen DAOs I owned were the short stroke / pre-cocked ones. Later DAOs had a much longer stroke.

I have had single action 3rd Gens (745 and Super 9) as well as TDAs (457, 4006 and PC4006) and personally much prefer the early DAOs.
James

 

[finesse_r]

At one time I owned both. However, I sold my 3953TSW as I prefer the single action/double action 3913 to the 3953 DAO. It is just a personal preference on my part as they are both excellent compact 9mm pistols. In fact I don't know if there is a better compact 9mm anywhere.

But the one you choose is just up to a personal preference for the DAO or the SA/DA and I cannot say that either one is a better gun than the other one.

I still have more than one 3913 S&W pistols and they will be the last guns I part with. They are mine until death do us part.